The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on April 26 arrested Sukanya Mondal, daughter of Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Anubrata Mondal in connection with the cattle smuggling scam. Ms. Mondal’s arrest comes almost eight months after her father, who is Birbhum district president of TMC, was arrested in the scam.
Ms. Mondal was summoned at the ED’s office in Delhi on April 26, where she was questioned for several hours before her arrest. The investigating agencies have found several properties and companies in the name of Ms. Mondal, who is a school teacher by profession. The agency has summoned Ms. Mondal for questioning on several occasions, including in March, when she failed to turn up.
On being questioned about disproportionate assets, Ms. Mondal has claimed ignorance. She has also been accused of money laundering. Ms. Mondal is likely to be produced before a court in Delhi on April 27. About a month ago, the ED had arrested Manish Kothari, Chartered Accountant of Mr. Anubrata Mondal, for allegedly being involved in money laundering.
Mr. Anubrata Mondal was arrested on August 11 by the Central Bureau of India (CBI) in a cross border cattle smuggling scam. The ED has also taken up the case and Mr. Mondal was transferred to Delhi after a long legal battle. The Trinamool Congress leader remains lodged at Tihar Jail. Despite his arrest, the TMC continues to back Mr. Anubrata Mondal, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee defending the arrested party leader.
The arrest triggered a strong reaction in the State’s political circles. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, while pointing out that law will take its own course, said that there was no need to arrest Ms. Sukanya Mondal, who recently lost her mother and whose father remains behind bars. “Where would she have gone? How was her arrest necessary for investigation in the case?” Mr. Ghosh asked.
Published - April 27, 2023 12:19 am IST
